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Malibu Sinkhole Triggers Local Emergency And Evacuations Of 31 Homes

A roughly 30-foot-deep sinkhole about 30 by 60 feet opened under a beachfront driveway in Malibu early Tuesday, September 8, 2026, triggering a local emergency and evacuations of 31 nearby homes.[1]

A gas leak prompted the Southern California Gas Company to shut off gas service to the area.[1] The sinkhole narrowed a private road and blocked emergency vehicles from accessing the property.[1] The City of Malibu declared a local emergency and by Tuesday evening had expanded evacuations to 31 nearby properties.[1] The American Red Cross opened a shelter at Malibu High School for displaced residents.[1]

Officials said the sinkhole sat beneath the driveway and measured about 30 feet deep and roughly 30 by 60 feet wide, and they had not identified a definite cause.[1] Officials warned that high tides and rain from Post-tropical Cyclone Marie could further erode the site and complicate repair and access efforts.[1]

  1. New York Times
Public Safety Infrastructure and Extreme Weather
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📌 Key Facts

  • A sinkhole about 30 feet deep and 30 by 60 feet wide was reported early Tuesday, September 8, 2026, under a beachfront driveway in Malibu, California.
  • The City of Malibu declared a local emergency and expanded evacuations to 31 nearby properties by Tuesday evening.
  • A gas leak led Southern California Gas Company to shut off gas to the area, and emergency vehicles could no longer access the narrowed private road.
  • The American Red Cross opened a shelter at Malibu High School for affected residents.
  • Officials warned that high tides and rain from Post-tropical Cyclone Marie could further degrade conditions at the sinkhole site.

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September 09, 2026